Aerating device for well tubing



4 Jan. 14 1941 Y J J KUSE 2,228,318

AER'ATIVNGDEVICE FOR'WELL TUBING Filed Oct. 13, 1939 I INVEIIQTOR 'BYJohn, J Klise ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AERATING DEVICE FOR WELL TUBING John J. Klise, Wooster, Ohio Application October 13, 1939, Serial No. 299,324

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for aerating a liquid column in well tubing to assist the flow of liquid to the surface level, its chief use being in oil wells which do not have suflicient gas pres- 8 sure to maintain the constant flow of oil. In such wells it is a well known expedient to lighten the liquid column in the well tubing by introducing gas into the well tubing, so that a flow of liquid may be created with less pressure or with less 10 expenditure of power in the pumping apparatus.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an aerating device in the well tubing which is so constructed that the interior of the tubing is not obstructed and the exterior of the 18 tubing has no enlargements which will interfere with the removal of the tubing through the gas sealing ring or rings, which are provided between the exterior of the tubing and the well casing.

A further object of the invention is to provide 20 an aerating device in the form of a pressure controlled valve which is eiilcient in operation and which is of simple and inexpensive construction and which is so mounted in the tubing that it will not be damaged by the passage of tools, swabs, or

the like through the interior of the tubing.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may be said to comprise the aerating device as illustrated in the accompanying drawing hereinafter described and particularly set so forth in the appended claims, together with such variations and modifications thereof as will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification in which Figure l is an axial section through a well casing showing the well tubing within the casing equipped with aerating devices of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an axial section on an enlarged scale through one of the aerating couplings;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the coupling taken on the line indicated at 3-3 in Fig. 2.

5 Fig. 1 of the drawing shows a portion of a well casing l, and within the casing a length of well tubing is shown which is made up of pipes 2 joined by coupling sleeves 3. The pipes and coupling sleeves are of conventional construction adapted to be screwed together to joint additional pipes to the tubing as the tubing is lowered into the well. In oil wells one or more sealing rings. such as the ring 4 shown in Fig. l, are provided to seal the space between the exterior of the g3 tubing and the interior of the well casing to prevent escape of gas from the well. These sealing rings are commonly made of elastic material such as rubber, so that they are sufllciently compressible to permit passage of conventional coupling sleeves therethrough without breaking 5 the seal.

The coupling sleeves 3 are provided with internally threaded end portions 8 to receive the threaded pipe ends and have internally cylindrical portions 6 intermediate internallythreaded 10 end portions 5. To provide for aerating the liquid column within the well tubing, certain of the coupling sleeves of the well tubing are provided with ports 1 through which gas may flow from the space surrounding the tubing into the liquid 18 within the tubing. The ports I are preferably radially disposed opening in the wall of the coupling sleeve which open at their inner ends to the bottom of a groove 8 formed upon the interior cylindrical portion 8 of the coupling member. :0 One or more ports I are provided in the coupling member and the flow of gas through the port or ports is controlled by a valve member 8 which is mounted in the groove 8 and has a radially movable portion in covering each port. The 35 groove 8 is preferably a circumferential groove and the valve 9 is preferably in the form of an expansible and contractible split ring seated in the groove 8. The valve ring 8 is mounted in the groove 8 with the flexible ends it thereof overlyi g the ports 1. The ends it! of the ring I which overlie the ports I are movable radially under the action of fluid pressure. When the fluid pressure exteriorly of the well tubing exceeds the fluid pressure within the tubing, the 35 ends iii of the valve ring 8 are forced radially inwardly by the fluid pressure and permit gas to enter the tubing through the ports I. When the pressure within the well tubing exceeds the pressure outside the well tubing, the ends ii of the o valve ring are pressed outwardly against the bottom of the groove 8 sealing the ports 1 and preventing escape of fluid from the tubing.

In order to position the valve ring 9 in the groove 8 with its ends properly disposed with 45 respect to the ports I, a stop member which may be in the form of a pin ii is attached to the coupling sleeve 8 and projects into the groove 8 between the ports 1. The ring 8 is mounted in the groove 8 with the ends in thereof on opposite 5o sides of the stop member Ii, so that the flexible end portions I: of the ring overlie the ports I.

Since the aerating device of the present invention is formed in a conventional coupling sleeve and since the valve is upon the interior of u the sleeve, the aerating device does not interfere with the passage of the tubing through the gas sealing rings; and since the valve is mounted in an internal groove in the coupling sleeve, it does not interfere with the passage of tools or swabs through the tubing and is not damaged by engagement with such tools. It is apparent that the device of the present invention is exceedingly simple and inexpensive as well as eilicient in operation.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the particular form of apparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth, are presented for purposes 01' explanation and illustration and that various modifications 01 said apparatus and procedure can be made without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A flow tube aerating device for well tubing which comprises a coupling for connecting lengths of tubing, said coupling having its end portions adapted to be secured to the tubing, a circumferential internal groove intermediate the ends of the coupling, an inlet port opening to the bottom of said groove and a stop member projecting in wardly from the bottom of said groove adjacent said port, and a pressure operated valve membe for controlling said port comprising a split rin seated in said groove. and having a resilient en P rtion adiacent said stop member and cover ing said port, said valve member being substan tially contained within said groove, and said cou pling having an external diameter appmximai ing that of the tubing.

2. A flow tube aerating device for well tubin which comprises a coupling for connecting length of tubing. said coupling having itsend portior adapted to be secured to the tubing, a circum ierential internal groove intermediate the ends the coupling, spaced inlet ports at one side i said coupling opening to the bottom of said groov and a stop member projecting inwardly from tl: bottom of said groove between said ports, and pressure operated valve member for controllin said ports, and a pressure operated valve membi for controlling said ports comprising a split rin seated in said groove and having resilient en portions adjacent said stop member and cave ing said ports, said valve member being substar tially contained within said groove, and sal coupling having an external diameter approx mating that of the tubing.

JOHN J. KLISE.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,228,518. January 11;, 19141.

JOHN J. ICLISE.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, sec-- 0nd column, lines 19 and 20, claim 2, strike out the words "and a pressure operated valve member for controlling said ports"; and that the said Letters Patent shouldbe read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this hen day of March; A. D. 191m.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

